[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 139 (Thursday, October 27, 2005)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D1108-D1109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        House of Representatives


Chamber Action
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced: 17 public bills, H.R. 4155-
4171; and 9 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 280-285; and H. Res. 519, 521-522 
were introduced.                                         
  Pages H9361-62
Additional Cosponsors:                                   
  Pages H9362-63
Reports Filed: Reports were filed today as follows:
  H.R. 4061, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
management of information technology within the Department of Veterans 
Affairs by providing for the Chief Information Officer of that 
Department to have authority over resources, budget, and personnel 
related to the support function of information technology, (H. Rept. 
109-256); and
  H. Res. 520, waiving points of order against the conference report to 
accompany the bill (H.R. 2744) making appropriations for Agriculture, 
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, (H. Rept. 109-257). 
                                                         Pages H9360-61
Disapproving the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and 
Realignment Commission: The House disagreed to H.J. Res. 65, to 
disapprove the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and 
Realignment Commission, by a recorded vote of 85 ayes to 324 noes with 
1 voting ``present'', Roll No. 548.                   
  Pages H9289-H9309
Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the 
following measures which were debated on Wednesday, October 26th:
  Hurricane Katrina Financial Services Relief Act of 2005: H.R. 3945, 
amended, to facilitate recovery from the effects of Hurricane Katrina 
by providing greater flexibility for, and temporary waivers of certain 
requirements and fees imposed on, depository institutions and Federal 
regulatory agencies, by a yea-and-nay vote of 411 yeas with none voting 
``nay'', Roll No. 549;                                   
  Pages H9309-10
  Agreed to amend the title so as to read: ``A Bill to facilitate 
recovery from the effects of Hurricane Katrina by providing greater 
flexibility for, and temporary waivers of certain requirements and fees 
imposed on, depository institutions, credit unions, and Federal 
regulatory agencies, and for other purposes''; and           
Page H9310
  Congratulating the State of Israel on the election of Ambassador Dan 
Gillerman as Vice-President of the 60th United Nations General 
Assembly: H. Res. 368, to congratulate the State of Israel on the 
election of Ambassador Dan Gillerman as Vice-President of the 60th 
United Nations General Assembly, by a yea-and-nay vote of 407 yeas with 
none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 550.                           
  Page H9310
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act, 2006--Motion to go to Conference: The House 
disagreed to the Senate amendment and agreed to a conference on H.R. 
3057, an act making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign 
operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 2006.                                      
  Pages H9310-12, H9329-30
  The House agreed to the Lowey motion to instruct conferees by a yea-
and-nay vote of 259 yeas to 147 nays, Roll No. 554.          
Page H9330
  Later, the Chair appointed conferees: Representatives Messrs. Kolbe, 
Knollenberg, Kirk, Crenshaw,

[[Page D1109]]

Sherwood, Sweeney, Rehberg, Carter, Lewis of California, Mrs. Lowey, 
Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, Messrs. Rothman, 
Fattah, and Obey.                                            
Page H9330
Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005: The House passed H.R. 420, to 
amend Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to improve 
attorney accountability, by a recorded vote of 228 ayes to 184 noes, 
Roll No. 553.                                  
  Pages H9282-89, H9312-29
  Rejected the Barrow motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on 
the Judiciary with instructions to report the same back to the House 
forthwith with an amendment, by a recorded vote of 196 ayes to 217 
noes, Roll No. 552.                                      
Pages H9327-29
  Pursuant to the rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill 
shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment 
and shall be considered as read.                         
Pages H9282-83
Agreed to:
  Smith of Texas Manager's amendment (no. 1 printed in H. Rept. 109-
253) which includes provisions imposing sanctions for the destruction 
of relevant documents in a pending Federal court proceeding; provisions 
for setting standards for a court's determination that certain court 
records should be sealed; and provisions providing for a presumption of 
a Rule 11 violation when the same issue is repeatedly relitigated. It 
also includes a clarification that makes clear that, in the anti-forum 
shopping provisions, if there is no State court in the county in which 
the injury occurred, the case can be brought in the nearest county 
where a court of general jurisdiction is located. The manager's 
amendment also makes clear that it does not affect personal injury 
claims that Federal bankruptcy law requires be heard in a Federal 
bankruptcy court.                                        
Pages H9319-20
Rejected:
  Schiff amendment in the nature of a substitute (no. 2 printed in H. 
Rept. 109-253) which sought to provide strong ``three strikes and 
you're out'' mandatory sanctions for attorneys who file frivolous 
lawsuits or engage in frivolous conduct during discovery. It enhances 
sanctions for document destruction, ensures that corporations can be 
sued in the U.S., cracks down on parties attempting to relitigate the 
same issue on consecutive occasions, bans the concealment of unlawful 
conduct, and protects civil rights claims, (by a recorded vote of 184 
ayes to 226 noes, Roll No. 551).                         
Pages H9320-27
  H. Res. 508, the rule providing for consideration of the bill was 
agreed to by voice vote, after agreeing to order the previous question.
                                                             Page H9312
Special Postage Stamp for Breast Cancer Research: The House agreed by 
unanimous consent to S. 37, to extend the special postage stamp for 
breast cancer research for 2 years--clearing the measure for the 
President.                                               
  Pages H9330-31
Senate Message: Messages received from the Senate today appear on pages 
H9293, H9329.
Senate Referrals: S. 939 was referred to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and S. 1285 was held at the desk. 
                                                             Page H9359
Quorum Calls--Votes: Three yea-and-nay votes, and four recorded votes 
developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H9308-09, 
H9309, H9310, H9326-27, H9328, H9329, H9329-30. There were no quorum 
calls.
Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:43 p.m.